If you've seen the latest What's on the Shelf you may have noticed that a few books on the shelf were originally written in French. By sheer coincidence a couple of them are set at around the same time. So Les Miserables has a character that is a veteran of Waterloo. (I know this because I have just put that book down and in the part I was reading he was shouting about his experiences at Waterloo.) But then I'm reading The Neapolitan Lovers which features Admiral Nelson as a character.
In true Dumas style The Neapolitan Lovers is shaping up to be comedic, and unbelievable yet convincing all at the same time. It defiantly has something to do with the way Dumas tells. There is a classic scene about a counsel for war with a King who would rather be hunting and a Queen who wants to get her own way. My favourite character at this point would have to be the brave huntsman who stands underneath the window and sounds his hunting horn, much to the aggravation of the King.
I do worry that come Christmas I will have a very mixed up idea of French history. Well the military side of it anyway.
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